By Grace Walters
Coming from Wigan, a small town near Manchester, I felt like the Oxford stereotypes and myths were extra-amplified – possibly just because it felt quite distant, geographically and metaphorically. There was a rumour at my school that a previous student who had applied years ago was rejected solely because of her Scouse accent at interview. This of course was a myth, but it still harnessed a self-consciousness about my accent, and a sort of anti-Oxford culture in lots of our heads. The realisation that much of this is false – alongside the ability of being able to see, with hindsight, how and why these sorts of illusions arise – is what made me want to become Access Rep for my college: I want to help dispel those ideas!
In reality, because Oxford is a place filled with such uniquely intelligent people from all around the world, my accent gave me a sense of pride and identity in fresher’s week: people would clock my northern-ness, and a conversation about home soon arose. Yes, a large percentage of people will speak with the clipped tones of Received Pronunciation and the kind of ‘poshness’ I thought would be isolating – but I just realised my own prejudices with this (in fact the very prejudices I’d been afraid of with my own accent). People here are friendly, welcoming, and will never judge a book by its cover.
Joining the society of the area you’re from is a fabulous way to both socialise outside of the bounds of your college, and to bond over shared experiences while combatting any slight homesickness. The Northerner’s Society has such friendly vibes and great events, often occurring inside a pub or even with Crew Dates! There’s also a Midlanders Society, amongst others. Yes, there are downsides to the physical distance and how it means it’s quite expensive and difficult to visit home as frequently as you might like. But there are ways around this: investing in a railcard helped me, and making sure to call home whenever you’re missing it is so nice.